Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 10th December 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 10/12/19
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Buhari Inaugurates Treasury Portal To Allow Nigerians Monitor Government Spending
The Nigerian Government has inaugurated the Open Treasury Portal with the hope of making public the daily treasury statement on how monies that come into government coffer are spent.
In series of posts on Twitter on Monday, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Mr Waziri Adio, made the disclosure.
Ministries, departments and agencies are now expected to publish on daily basis, reports of payments above N5m, monthly budget performance and sundry other official financial dealings.
Adio in his Twitter post, said, “With the launch of the Open Treasury Portal today by President Muhammadu Buhari, all MDAs are to publish the following: daily reports of payments from N5m; monthly budget performance; quarterly financial statements; and annual financial statements prepared in compliance with IPSAS.
“All the reports are to be published within stipulated deadlines on this portal: . The portal will be open to and can be accessed by all.”
Speaking further, he said that the Accountant-General of the Federation will also publish on a daily basis inflows and outflows into the treasury.
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Ondo Fires 51 Workers For Not Participating In Screening Exercise
The Ondo State Government has said that it has removed names of 51 workers from its payroll following the failure of the affected workers not to show up for the recently conducted screening for civil servants, a report by PUNCH said.
The government said the screening exercise was conducted to enable it know the number of real civil servants in the local government service.
The state Head of Service, Mr Dare Aragbaiye, confirmed this in Akure, the state capital, on Monday during the 2019 Public Service Week anniversary.
Aragbaiye explained that the 51 workers failed to showed up for the screening exercise and since then, they have not returned to work.
He said, “Since they did not show up for the screening, that means they are ghost workers and for that reason, their salaries have been stopped and their names have been removed from the government’s payroll.
“Even if they show up today, they have some questions to answer.”
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New Chairman Of FIRS Appointed By Buhari
Mr Muhammad Nami has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the new Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
His appointment followed the expiration of the tenure of Mr Tunde Fowler on Monday.
Announcing the emergence of Nami in a statement, Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “Mr Muhammad, a well-trained tax, accounting and management professional with highly rated qualifications and professional practice and licenses from relevant professional bodies, has almost three decades of practical work experience in auditing, tax management and advisory and management services to clients in the banking, manufacturing, services and public sectors as well as non-profit organisations.”
Buhari also approved the composition of the board of the FIRS.
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Police Fire Teargas Canister To Disperse Shiite Protesters In Abuja
Police on Monday in Abuja fired teargas canisters to disperse protesting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
The protest, which started from Wuse Market was terminated at Berger bus-stop where Joint Task Force and anti-riot policemen descended on the protesters.
Passersby and traders were not spared in the melee as many of them were caught up and inhaled the fumes of the canisters.
The Nigerian Government had proscribed the organisation through an order issued by a Federal High Court and declared the activities of the organisation as illegal.
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E2%80%99s-comeback-victory-samuel-osho Five Lessons Learnt From Anthony Joshua’s Comeback Victory By Samuel Osho
The suspense in the misty air of Diriyah Arena turned to an atmosphere of celebration as Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, reclaims his titles. Joshua’s tense rematch with Andy Ruiz remains one of the most significant moments in 2019 for the world of boxing.
Andy Ruiz stunned the world six months ago at the Madison Square Garden in New York after a big upset that ended in a technical knockout. Ruiz, an underdog, knocked Joshua to the canvass four times before the referee stopped the fight in the seventh round after a flurry of punches. On that night, Ruiz made history as the first boxer of Mexican descent to become a heavyweight title winner.
In Saturday night’s rematch, the world saw a different Anthony Joshua with rare mettle and prowess required for success in the boxing ring. His athleticism, technicalities, and sportsmanship were on display as the world stood still to watch a resilient fighter reclaim his lost titles. It was an emotional moment for Joshua, who had a sweet return to the number one spot in the heavyweight boxing division. He won in style and became a two-time world heavyweight champion with a unanimous victory over Andy Ruiz.
During the build-up to the match, there were fears if Joshua had the mental fortitude to fight his demons and go for a win. On Saturday, he reassured his teeming fans and answered lots of questions. Those answers came with quick jabs, timely hooks, and calculated movements, all delivered in a 36 minutes show of clinical finish.
With the comeback victory, Joshua joined Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Floyd Patterson and Mike Tyson in the league of men to have reclaimed the world heavyweight title. In this historical moment, there are lessons to learn from a man that came back from the dead to knock out the same person that gifted him his first career defeat.
Fela Kuti lives on
Ahead of his much-anticipated fight with Ruiz in Saudi Arabia, Joshua paid homage to his Nigerian roots. The British boxer with Nigerian parents chose a tune by Nigerian multi-talented musician, Fela Kuti, as his entrance song.
The song, Water No Get Enemy by Fela, a trailblazer of Afrobeat music and a fearless human rights activist, was perfect for the occasion and a precursor for a historic night. During Joshua’s visit to Nigeria in July, he stopped by at Fela’s shrine in Lagos, where Femi Kuti showed him around. This victorious match reminded everyone of Fela’s undying legacy.
Stay hungry for a win
There are no friends in the ring, and the best way to come out of the ring victorious is by inflicting damage on the opponent. In the first match in New York, it was apparent that Joshua lacked the hunger needed for victory. After hitting the canvas in the third round, Joshua appeared lost and uncoordinated; he struggled through the remaining rounds before the referee waved the fight off.
In the rematch, it was evident that Joshua was hungry for a victory. He was there to prove a point and retrieve his lost belts that were on exile in California. The hunger reflected in the superb head and body movement aimed at dodging Ruiz’s punches. If there were anything Joshua learned after his defeat, it would be to stay hungry in the face of any opposition.
Stick to the game plan
Before his first match with Ruiz, everyone was used to Joshua decapitating his opponents before the final round with an exception for the bout with Joseph Parker. For many of the fans, they wanted to see an angry Joshua in the ring with a shower of punches to revenge his humiliating loss in June. It was not a big ask from a man that has 21 knockouts out of 22 professional wins. Let the “champ” do the magic again. While that seems like a brilliant plan that could drive the fans wild, it would have placed Joshua in a vulnerable position resulting in a second defeat. It would have been a blatant display power without tactfulness.
It is quite understandable if the critics wanted a spectacular match, but often, the key to victory is taking calculated risks and not doing what everyone expects. Joshua understood the difference between showmanship and professionalism. He took the stance of a professional pugilist and displayed a tactical understanding of the sport to wear out his opponent.
Boxing is all about taking well-timed punches and avoid getting hit. That was the game plan, and a disciplined Joshua stuck to the plan from start to finish. Joshua never allowed Ruiz to lock him a close range that is advantageous to a speedy boxer like Ruiz. He made use of his long legs by pacing in the ring, which not only frustrated his opponent but prevented Ruiz from landing his punches in a close range. Those powerful jabs courtesy of Joshua’s long-range paid off in the match against his Mexican rival. Joshua practically animated Mohammed Ali’s words, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.”
Stay focused on the prize
On the road to success, the focus is paramount. In the build-up to the rematch, Joshua was under immense pressure, and he could not afford a second defeat. In the ring, it’s hard to stay focused on a plan after suffering a devastating hit. However, it pays to stay focused and avoid any unexpected complications from surprise hooks. Before the rematch, Joshua was hard on himself with a laser-focused training regimen. He trimmed his weight to 237 pounds, his lowest in five years (lost 10 pounds in six months). It takes focus and discipline to do that.
In sharp contrast to Joshua’s approach, Andy Ruiz added 16 pounds to his chubby frame, which impacted his movement in the ring. It’s hard to keep up with six months of uninterrupted media attention and sudden fame.Bouncing back from an embarrassing loss is hard. But Joshua forgot about the mixed feelings of the past and focused on the next 36 minutes of his life in the ring – the moment that decides what happens next in his boxing career. With eyes on the prize and a heart bent on winning, he earned his titles back amidst cheers and applause from a satisfied audience.
Punch your fears in the face
Preceding the match in New York, Joshua was an undefeated unified heavyweight champion. Although he had a close shave with defeat in his match against Wladimir Klitschko, he bounced back after a knockdown in the sixth round. His first taste of defeat in his professional career was against Ruiz in June, and he lost to an underdog that was unknown to anyone before the match.
The fears of losing again must have haunted Joshua in the past few months, but his fighting spirit during the rematch showed the traits of a champion. Former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson, once said, “Fear is just like fire; it can be helpful if you know how to use it. If not, you will get burned.”
Our fears are as strong as the belief we put in them. Joshua stepped into the ring and used his fears to his advantage; he faced his demons and punched them until they got exhausted.
Osho, a mechanical engineer, award-winning writer and public speaker writes from Canada
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E2%80%93-falana-says Nigerian Authorities Tried To Strike Deal With Sowore In Custody – Falana Says
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who is lead counsel to human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare, has said that the Nigerian Government reached out and proposed a deal during Sowore’s first 45 days in detention.
Falana stated this on Monday while appearing on a programme on TVC, a popular television station in the country.
He said, “They went to a court behind us and got an order to detain Sowore for 45 days to investigate his alleged terrorism.
“At the end of the investigation, nothing was found but they went to him in detention to reach a deal.”
Falana added that the Department of State Services also reached out to him so as to convince Sowore when they could not persuade the journalist to take the deal he was offered.
He stated, “When they could not succeed, they met me and wanted me to persuade him to agree to sign his death warrant and I told them off.”
Falana explained that the intelligence agency “filed charges” against Sowore when they could not convince him to take the deal.
Sowore and his co-defendant Olawale Bakare are accused of cyberstalking President Buhari and planning to bring down his regime by inciting Nigerians against the government.
Sowore was arrested in Lagos on August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from President Buhari’s administration.
Despite two court orders calling for his release on bail, he remains in detention after being briefly set free on Thursday before rearrested on Friday in court.
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Press Freedom Coalition Condemns Assault On Judiciary, Urges Buhari To Sanction DSS
The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom has condemn the invasion of the Federal High Court, Abuja, by operatives of the Department of State Services to arrest Omoyele Sowore.
The coalition, a national alliance of media and civil society organisations, described the act of the DSS as a reckless display of brutality and lawlessness.
The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take action against the agency to further drive home the claim that the secret agency did not carry out the act on the instruction of the Presidency.
The coalition also described the action of the armed DSS operatives, who invaded the courtroom where proceeding was ongoing in an effort to rearrest Sowore and his co-accused, Olawale Bakare, as the most frightening assault on the authority and independence of the judiciary that Nigeria has ever witnessed.
In a statement, the group said, “The coalition calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to take stern punitive action against the DSS agents involved in the attack on the court as well as the agency’s leadership in order to reassure Nigerians and the international community that they were not acting under his instructions and that his government does not condone their actions in desecrating the temple of justice, undermining the rule of law and their wanton disregard for the rights of citizens.
“Failure by President Buhari and his government to take immediate and decisive action in response to such apparent brigandage by a security agency, would remain a permanent blemish on the administration’s human rights record and would ultimately result in the government being ostracised by the international community while also undermining its legitimacy at home.”
The coalition called on the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to urgently take steps to launch investigations into the deplorable human rights situation in Nigeria as the country was facing a rapid descent into totalitarianism and tyranny.
The coalition consists of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Daily Trust Newspaper, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, International Press Centre, HEDA Resource Centre.
Others are Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria Union of Journalist, Order Paper, Paradigm Initiative, Premium Times, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, SaharaReporters, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, TheCable and Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
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E2%80%93minister-sirika Only Experts Should Speak On Aviation Matters –Minister, Sirika
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has asked citizens to keep quite on matters of “complex” civil aviation.
In a promoted post on Twitter on Monday, the minister said the economics and legal aspects of civil aviation was complex and “non-experts” on the matter should not be heard talking about it.
The tweet reads, “The economic dynamics and legal complexities of civil aviation is as complex as its science, art and technology.
“My opinion is that, non-subject matter experts should either seek for knowledge or keep quiet.
“Same may apply to other professions, I suppose.”
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E2%80%99s-only-matter-time-nigerians-embark-national-protests-core-says It’s Only A Matter Of Time Before Nigerians Embark On National Protests, CORE Says
Amidst condemnation and outcries against the Nigerian Government over the rearrest of pro-democracy campaigner and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, the Coalition for Revolution has said that the Nigerian people would soon hit the streets to demand their rights from the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
CORE condemned the arrest of Sowore in an open court and said it clearly confirmed that the rule of law no longer existed and the current “anti-people regime wants to push the society deeper into barbarism”.
The group said, “They know that it is only a matter of time before the Nigerian masses and youths take to massive protests to demand for their rights.
“They think that the continued harassment of Sowore and scores of other Nigerians would intimidate the masses and stop them from demanding their rights.
“In their myopic view, they think by instituting a reign of terror, they can go on plundering the country’s wealth without being held to account.”
The group also vowed not to give up in their demand for a better Nigeria, stressing that the state’s act of terrorism “will not and cannot cow the Nigerian masses” rather it would “strengthen its resolve to stand the ground and speak words of truth about the situation in Nigeria in defence of our hard-won democratic rights”.
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Saudi Arabia Ends Gender Segregation In Restaurants
Saudi Arabia will no longer require restaurants to have separate entrances segregated by s**, the government has said.
It was once compulsory to have one entrance for families and women, and another for men on their own.
The restrictions had already been quietly eased in practice with many restaurants, cafes and other meeting places no longer enforcing segregation, the BBC reports.
A series of sweeping social reforms in Saudi Arabia has been accompanied by an intensified crackdown on dissent.
Earlier this year, a royal decree allowed Saudi women to travel abroad without a male guardian’s permission, and in 2018 the kingdom ended a decades-long ban on female drivers.
But activists complain that many laws discriminatory against women remain in place.
Several prominent women’s rights advocates have been arrested even as the government has made reforms.
On Sunday, the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities said that restaurants would no longer need to maintain s**-segregated entrances.
Until now, inside restaurants, families and women were usually cut off and separated from men on their own by screens.
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